AOL Builds New IE-Based Browser

jfruhlinger writes "According to News.com.com.com, America Online is preparing to release a free AOL-branded browser that is 'based on Microsoft's Internet Explorer technology.' The browser will be available to users who don't have AOL as their ISP. I admit that I find this development baffling -- not only does AOL already own a browser, but why on earth would a non-AOL user want to use an AOL-branded version of IE?"

Comments

How can I put this nicely

[Anonymous Coward]

Okay, I can't.

AOL is for dumb users. IE is for dumb users. This is a perfect match.

(This will probably get me modded as flamebait, but in the old days of Slashdot, it wouldn't.)

Re:How can I put this nicely

[Anonymous Coward]

Or worse yet, over AOL for Broadband using an MSN branded DSL.

Re:How can I put this nicely

[Black.Shuck]

You pawed through a dumpster to get an AOL CD instead of downloading 5MB of a Firefox installation?

That's hardcore, baby. :D

Re:How can I put this nicely

[Anonymous Coward]

+1 Moron

What the hell are you doing at Slashdot?

Fitting in.

Re:How can I put this nicely

[AstroDrabb]

Dude are you kidding or just trolling? What in the world would make you turn off your firewall to use eBay? That is the dumbest thing in the world. So now your MS Windows box is vulnerable just to use eBay? Also, what crap are you spewing about "how to get online and interface with eBay" with Linux? Err, I just open up my browser under Linux (Firefox) and type in www.ebay.com. Wow. It works. Is that hard or something?

Re:How can I put this nicely

[f00zy]

You can't, but you did nonetheless. AOL provides a service, namely the distribution of free frisbees.
And IE creates work for us all. Something about "looking a gift horse in the mouth" applies here.

Re:How can I put this nicely

[nartz]

AOL? What? Oh you mean the internet.

Re:How can I put this nicely

[Simonetta]

Suxs to be you...

I'm sorry, but this phrase won't parse in my language translator. The equivalent phrases that I get are (in English):

"Here's to your success!"
"You are creating a vacuum with your mouth"

Since the phase has no preceeding or subsequent sentences, it can't be matched against any cultural context.

Could you please clarify as to which of the above choices this expression refers?

Thank you,
-A person who speaks a language that you've never heard of, living in a place unknown to you or any of your teachers.

Re:How can I put this nicely

[conan776]

Hmmm... if you rearrange "MSN IE DSL AOL" you get
"ALL IS DEMONS"
"SOLD ME SNAIL"
"ON MS DIES ALL"

If closing it is anything like trying to cancel...

[joseph schmo]

*user clicks close button*

[POPUP:] Thank you for being an AOL Browser user! I'm sorry you have decided to stop using it. I'm going to go ahead and leave it open for a few more minutes, for FREE.

*shows [OK] button only*

ermmm...

Re:What's next?

[HoneyBunchesOfGoats]

AOL OS

Based on Microsoft Windows technology.

Is there a linux version?

[barcodez]

Someone had to say it....

Here's why:

[gulfan]

why on earth would a non-AOL user want to use an AOL-branded version of IE?

CUZ TEH INTERNET IS SO MUCH DIF3RENT WHEN UR VEIWNG IT WIT AOL!!1! OMG LOL

AOL browser rocks

[Anonymous Coward]

NOW I CAN AUTOMATICALLY POST IN ALL CAPS!

but the damn slashdot filter seems to know I'm using AOL.

IE branding

[gammygator]

I'd use IE branded butt wipe, AOL for that matter, too.

Re:IE branding

[Malc]

Wow, you have pretty low standards. I wouldn't let that anywhere near my arse thank you very much.

AOL's strategy

[null etc.]

AOL must want a browser with all of the latest security holes, without the work.

But why on earth...?

[Knx]

"(...) but why on earth would a non-AOL user want to use an AOL-branded version of IE?"

I believe this is called "masochism". :)

It's obvious

[Donoho]

"why on earth would a non-AOL user want to use an AOL-branded version of IE?"

It's a tech support warning marker.

User: My system is slow and unresponsive and it keeps asking me if I a bride from Soviet Russia
Tech: Uh, ok sir. What Operating System, web browser/version,
User: I've got Microsoft Windows ME with Internet Explorer from AOL.. [click... dial tone] Hello?

Re:If closing it is anything like trying to cancel

[Anonymous Coward]

I've had a really bad experience trying to cancel AOL some years ago.

I don't know whether the person on the phone accidentally gave me the wrong number or if they were trying to throw a hint at me. I called their customer service center and asked to cancel the account. She fought tooth and nail to get me not to cancel (of course) and finally gave me a phone number to call in order to cancel. Okay, but there was one problem when I called.

"To talk live to a hot, horny girl, press 1."

I have no idea whether she gave me the wrong number (I read it back about three times to confirm) or she was hinting to me to "go fuck myself" because I wanted to cancel.

Re:If closing it is anything like trying to cancel

[Anonymous Coward]

And, if you actually manage to close it, it puts your pops up messages periodically asking if you'd like to reopen it...

(Anonymously to protect the shame of having once been an AOL user oh so long ago...)

Re:What's next?

[hunterx11]

This is sheer FUD. We all know that AOL OS is based on Microsoft Bob technology.

Re:If closing it is anything like trying to cancel

[Anonymous Coward]

You've cancelled AOL more than once?

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Old AOL joke:

[mrbcs]

"Think of the Internet as a Highway." There it is again. Some clueless fool talking about the "Information Superhighway." They don't know didley about the net. It's nothing like a superhighway. That's a rotten metaphor. Suppose the metaphor ran in the other direction. Suppose the highways were like the net. . . A highway hundreds of lanes wide. Most with pitfalls for potholes. Privately operated bridges and overpasses. No highway patrol. A couple of rent-a-cops on bicycles with broken whistles. 500 member vigilante posses with nuclear weapons. A minimum of 237 on ramps at every intersection. No signs. Wanna get to Ensenada? Holler out the window at a passing truck to ask directions. Ad hoc traffic laws. Some lanes would vote to make use by a single-occupant- vehicle a capital offense on Monday through Friday between 7:00 and 9:00. Other lanes would just shoot you without a trial for talking on a car phone. AOL would be a giant diesel-smoking bus with hundreds of ebola victims on board throwing dead wombats and rotten cabbage at the other cars, most of which have been assembled at home from kits. Some are built around 2.5 horsepower lawnmower engines with a top speed of nine miles an hour. Others burn nitrogylcerin and idle at 120. No license plates. World War II bomber nose art instead. Terrifying paintings of huge teeth or vampire eagles. Bumper mounted machine guns. Flip somebody the bird on this highway and get a white phosphorus grenade up your tailpipe. Flatbed trucks cruise around with anti-aircraft missile batteries to shoot down the traffic helicopter. Little kids on tricycles with squirtguns filled with hydrochloric acid switch lanes without warning. NO OFFRAMPS. None. Now that's the way to run an Interstate Highway system.